A Runner.

I used to be one. This has only been made clearer to me over the past week or so, as I have slowly tried to get myself back on track. Shinsplints used to plague me as a girl on the junior high track team, but I grew and ran myself out of them. However, you can never be too old or out of shape to get them back and I have. They came back with a fury!

The pain won't stop me though because for the first time in a couple of years, I feel like I am coming back to myself. Years ago I started running on my own. At first, it was a way to make myself feel better about what I saw in the mirror, but I soon discovered that it could be so much more. With every mile, I could sort out my thoughts and sweat out the stress. It allowed me some real time to myself. Running also gave me something to do with my dad. While it seems like it was only yesterday that we ran that 15K together, it was in fact four years ago. Yikes, time flies! Now that Ava's birth is clearly well behind me, it is time to quit making excuses. Especially now that she herself can run.

While I could wax on forever about how great it feels to be back out there, I won't. This is more of a declaration that I mean to get back to the sport that helps make me, Me. Maybe I should even invite my dad to another 15K next July. Nine months should be enough time, right?

Better go find my shoes.